Raw Deal Band

Sincerely Soulful Sensations For Your Celebration

Service area

5.0

Verified reviews from real couples

Raw Deal was absolutely incredible! They were easily one of the biggest highlights of our wedding and such a crowd favorite. From the moment they started playing, they brought incredible energy and kept the dance floor packed all night long. The sound was unmatched, the vocals were amazing, and their energy was contagious, we truly never wanted the night to end!! They were also incredibly easy to work with leading up to the wedding and came fully prepared with all of their own equipment, which made everything so seamless for us. We had so many guests tell us how amazing the band was and how much fun they had on the dance floor. We cannot recommend them enough!

Emily G.

5.0

If you are debating booking raw deal, do it! There are lots of wedding bands in New Orleans but they are the best! We had some weather during our reception and they worked to make sure that we didn’t lose any dancing time and all our guests raved about how good they were. Every musician was stellar and the music kept the party rocking the whole night

Hannah L.

5.0

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Noah Young

MANAGER

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AWARD WINNER (4X)

Thanks to recommendations from couples on The Knot

Raw Deal Band is a wedding music ensemble based in New Orleans, LA. Offering a scintillating performance of funk and soul hits, this energetic group offers a performance that is full of fire. Their raw, passionate vocalists and smooth, talented musicians present a seamless blend of melodious beats and flawless harmonics. With four amazing vocalists, a world-class horn section, and a menagerie of highly talented artists, Raw Deal Band is here to bring the party to your event. Playing the beloved music of Earth, Wind and Fire, Prince, Rick James, and many others, this band is a blazing flashback to the golden age of classic, soulful funk. Playing with some of the city’s most popular acts, this band has proven itself as a collection of talented musicians, all ready to entertain you. Couples interested in seeing this group for themselves are welcome to contact them to learn more. Along with playing the classic hits of the 70s and 80s, this group is also open to learning new songs upon request. They supply all their own equipment for every event, letting you relax as they entertain your guests all night long. Raw Deal has received the "Best Of Weddings" award from The Knot in 2023, 2022, and 2021.

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Details

Instruments

Bass

Guitar

Keyboard

Saxophone

Trumpet

Vocals

Music Genres

R&B

Music Services

Live Music

MC Services

Recorded Music

Sound Equipment

Wedding Activities

Rehearsals & Parties

After Party

Wedding

After Party

Ceremony

Reception

Awards and Affiliations

4-Time 'Best of Weddings'

2026.2023.2022.2021.

Hall of Fame

Earned by winning 'Best of Weddings' four or more times.

Join couples who chose award-winning vendors for their wedding

Meet the team

Noah Young

Manager

Hello! My name is Noah and I'm the bassist/bandleader for Raw Deal. We cut our teeth playing high energy shows on Frenchmen Street for 4 + years before transitioning into the wedding scene in 2020. Our repertoire consists completely of music that we love and feel passionate about playing, and it shows in our performances. We combine outstanding musicianship, great songs, and a fun-loving attitude to make a party experience that everyone can enjoy. We are ready to be the perfect band for your special day. Please feel free to reach out with any questions

5.0

out of 5.0

43 reviews

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Review Summary

This AI-generated summary is a snapshot of this vendor's ratings and feedback.

Raw Deal earns unanimous praise as an exceptional, high-energy wedding band whose top-tier musicianship and audio kept dance floors packed. Couples highlight their professionalism, responsiveness, and flexibility—handling ceremony music, second lines, and custom requests. Highly recommended for anyone wanting soulful, concert-quality entertainment.

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Emily G

8/22/2026

Raw Deal was absolutely incredible! They were easily one of the biggest highlights of our wedding and such a crowd favorite. From the moment they started playing, they brought incr...

edible energy and kept the dance floor packed all night long. The sound was unmatched, the vocals were amazing, and their energy was contagious, we truly never wanted the night to end!! They were also incredibly easy to work with leading up to the wedding and came fully prepared with all of their own equipment, which made everything so seamless for us. We had so many guests tell us how amazing the band was and how much fun they had on the dance floor. We cannot recommend them enough!

Hannah L

8/08/2026

If you are debating booking raw deal, do it! There are lots of wedding bands in New Orleans but they are the best! We had some weather during our reception and they worked to make ...

sure that we didn’t lose any dancing time and all our guests raved about how good they were. Every musician was stellar and the music kept the party rocking the whole night

Any questions?

Hannah C

8/07/2026

Raw Deal was such a delight at our wedding. We wanted a band that didn't feel like a wedding band, and Raw Deal hit the mark. They had such great energy and we (and our guests) had...

SO much fun dancing! We also had them learn two songs not on their list (for a fee) and they did an excellent job with both. I will note, there are some songs they were not comfortable with (we wanted particular mother/son and father/daughter songs) learning, so be aware if this is something important to you - they are explicit about the genres they play and we respected this. We just had them play the songs over speakers and it was fine. We also gave them discretion to pretty much play whatever they wanted whenever they saw fit (with some minor requests), and they crushed it. It was a great cadence of keeping the party going and turning down when appropriate. The ended with the best rendition of Proud Mary I've ever heard and that moment will live in my head as a loving memory forever. We also hired them for the ceremony music (piano and trumpet) and they did a really great job with that as well. Overall, I highly recommend Raw Deal if you want a band with energy, funk, and fun that doesn't feel like your average wedding band.

Kate L

8/07/2026

Our wedding was lit, and I'm 100% sure that's because of Raw Deal. Everything was flawless — their musical talent, their energy and their engagement with our guests. The audio qual...

ity was also amazing. My brother, an audio engineer, was deeply impressed by their sound mixing and volume level. They handled our song requests expertly, performing very good renditions of each one. All our guests were dancing the whole night through, which was unusual for many of them, especially as it was a crowd from all over the country (from New Orleans to New England). I've been to dozens of weddings, many of them far more upscale than my own, and no one had a band as good as Raw Deal. They are 100% worth the money, and then some.

Robert K

8/03/2026

Raw Deal is the best wedding band in New Orleans! To be clear, I’m speaking as a professional touring musician, and I’ve played with plenty of cover bands in my career. Raw Deal ...

is comprised of some of the best players in the city, and they bring a deeply infectious enthusiasm to the music they play. They curated a setlist for my wedding that was high-energy and engaging for all audiences without resorting to the more played-out pop tunes that drive some of us nuts. Their high level of expertise and musicianship made their performance feel much more like a concert than just a playlist of popular songs. It was very clear that the band was having a great time performing the music, which made it even more fun for the audience. I had a lot of friends tell me it was one of the best weddings they had ever attended, and Raw Deal was a big reason why.

Dennise R

8/02/2026

Raw Deal was absolutely fantastic at our daughter Coco and Riley’s wedding in February! The band was incredibly talented and professional, and their energy kept the dance floor pac...

ked all night. Our guests are still talking about how fantastic they were. We couldn’t recommend Raw Deal more highly! Thank you for making the celebration so memorable!

Travis L

5/30/2026

We cannot say enough about our amazing experience with Raw Deal. In short, these are highly talented and professional musicians who brought the perfect mix of music and energy to o...

ur wedding reception at Toulouse Theater. Everything from the initial planning and event coordination to the second line that ended the night was flawless. Their extensive song list was impressive, and they were also able to offer custom song requests, which sounded phenomenal. I wish we had videos to share, but everyone was too busy dancing! All our guests couldn’t stop talking about them, and we wish the night didn’t have to end. We’re already trying to find another reason to hire this group again so we can relive the night. We would highly recommend this band for any sort of reception or party. Thank you Raw Deal for such a memorable night! - Travis & Jen

Zachary S

5/03/2026

Raw Deal is an incredible, super talented band who will undoubtedly deliver the party to any wedding or event. I got married this March in New Orleans and was very lucky to get in ...

touch with Noah, the manager and bass player, during the early stages of the planning process. He explained the band's size, setlist, and vibe, and was a pleasure to work with. At the wedding, they blew everyone away. Everything from the vocals to the musicianship to the stage presence was on point and added so much to our reception. Multiple people came up to ask where we found them! They even learned a couple extra songs at a reasonable price, including our first dance song, which they played beautifully. Can't say enough good things about this band. They kick ass! Zack

R C

2/10/2026

Raw Deal is simply the best wedding / event band in town. Musician friends agree. Friends and family still talk about what great job they did and how much fun they had. Before the ...

big day, they were easy to work with - they were responsive and communicated clearly.

Juliet S

12/21/2025

Raw Deal was incredible! 20/10 many people at our wedding said they were the best band they’d ever heard, and we couldn’t agree more. Some even wanted to fly them out to NYC. Noah ...

was extremely responsive and I can’t recommend them enough. Thanks Raw deal for making our wedding rock!

Bethany B

9/18/2025

Calling Raw Deal a “wedding band” doesn’t come close. They are best in class musicians and they made our wedding unforgettable. The band traveled over 1,000 miles from New Orleans ...

to Northern Michigan and turned our celebration into something we (and our guests) will never forget. We had a room full of musicians, so it mattered deeply to us to have real talent on stage — and Raw Deal exceeded every expectation. The dance floor was electric all night long. When the rain came, no one left; people danced even harder, not wanting the music to end. Beyond their jaw-dropping talent and unmatched energy, they were kind, gracious, and a joy to work with. They learned our favorite songs, played them with perfection and their own soulful flair, and made the night feel deeply personal.

Camille S

8/09/2025

We had raw deal perform for our wedding and it was amazing! Got a recommendation from a friend and couldn’t be more grateful. They are not only very talented, but also very kind an...

d thoughtful. The prep calls were so helpful and they even worked with my not so lovely venue owner with a smile on their face. It was a breeze working with them. Most importantly the dance floor was always jamming and filled all night. 11/10 recommend! -the Scanlons 🫶

Michael P

7/22/2025

Raw Deal is the real deal! Individually they are each incredible musician. Together they are a fun, cohesive and collaborative team. They brought the perfect amount of true artistr...

y, new orleans style, funky improvisation, and they could also play the typical wedding style songs. They can pack a new orleans music hall or dress up for a fancy occasion. Their leader Noah Young is talented, professional, and super easy to work with. 10/10 would go to any event that they are playing at. Thank you Noah and Raw Deal!!!

Grant B

7/17/2025

Raw Deal played at my wedding a few months ago and they were unbelievable! Great song list, tons of energy, and easy to work with. Got so many compliments on how great they were. A...

true highlight!

Mary Katherine L

2/20/2025

My husband and I could not have picked a better band to play at our wedding! Raw Deal Band kept the energy going all night. They were communicative, accommodating, and, of course, ...

were PHENOMENAL. Every single guest that we have spoken to since our wedding has given glowing reviews of Raw Deal Band and mentioned how amazing they were. My husband and I could not recommend a better band than Raw Deal Band!

Taylor M

1/15/2025

Raw Deal band was incredible at our wedding! They really got the party going. Noah was very accommodating to our requests. Every single musician in the group is mega talented, so t...

ogether they were better than we could have imagined!

Pamela O

1/09/2025

Raw Deal was terrific!! Everyone who attended our wedding couldn't stop talking about them. My husband and I knew we wanted to hire them for our wedding after we saw them play at a...

friend's wedding years before we got engaged. Thanks to the Raw Deal, my husband and I had our first dance to "Pony" by Ginuwine. This was unplanned and is now a fun memory. They brought all the best vibes. Their whole team is so kind, professional, and incredible artists. If you want your wedding to have top-notch entertainment, you must hire Raw Deal ASAP!

julia m

1/08/2025

Raw Deal was the arguably the best part about my wedding. I got constant complements from guests. I spent my entire wedding dancing and listening to the band - I didn't want to mis...

s one song. The energy and professionalism they brought to the event was unmatched. Highly recommend.

Leslie B

1/03/2025

Raw Deal MADE our wedding reception! Being from Louisiana, we wanted to hire the best band to show our guests a good time! Everyone was on the dance floor from beginning to end and...

my dad even got on stage! Noah was extremely easy to communicate with and the band was so talented, gracious, and fun!! 10/10 recommend!!

Andriu Y

1/03/2025

Raw Deal was amazing. They are so much more fun than your average wedding band! Totally made the night for us 😊

Alexandra K

1/02/2025

Truly the best band imaginable for our wedding! Cannot recommend them highly enough. They were able to handle everything we threw at them, such as specific song requests (made in a...

dvance from a large list of songs they know), arrangement changes on first dances (shorter), and the chill music vs. dance music mix was fantastic. Talented and energetic, professional and also able to read the energy of the room. Will re-iterate: Truly the best band imaginable for our wedding! Cannot recommend them highly enough.

Lesley L

9/07/2024

We wanted a band that truly reflected the liveliness and warmth of our city, and Raw Deal fit the bill perfectly. We hired them both for a second line from our ceremony and as our ...

reception band, and they absolutely elevated our wedding. For their opening number to kick off the second line, they played ‘Signed Sealed Delivered’ which our hashtag was a play on, and it instantly pumped up all the love and joy. They even learned a Jon Batiste song for us, and both myself and our guests were blown away seeing the drummer flawlessly rap while drumming. They also did an amazing ‘Hava Nagila’ for us, as well as their usual songs that kept our loved ones tearing up the dance floor. Many of our guests asked us who the band was and how we found such a fantastic band. Raw Deal is the perfect band for those who genuinely love music—they’re all incredibly talented, with a very distinctive sound and playlist that’s rare for wedding bands. They aren’t your gimmicky, flashy special event cover band—they’re funky, soulful artists who bring the heat. Noah was incredibly easy to work with, and he was especially kind to me after we had to delay the band starting because my Dad was having medical issues. They were one of the best decisions we made for our wedding, and we love getting to see them playing around town at festivals and special concerts. I’ll be recommending them to everyone!

Rachael S

7/01/2024

Do not hesitate on hiring Raw Deal! Noah was fantastic to work with. He even coordinated our second line band! Every guest we spoke to said how Raw Deal was the best event band the...

y’ve ever heard. Each set got better and better and more and more fun! They truly are the top Nola wedding band and you will NOT regret having them! Thank you for making our night so unforgettable and fun!!

Jennifer J

4/01/2024

Beyond our wildest dreams, thank you SO much! We danced our a**es off all night, wish we could have hired them til dawn. Noah did my ceremony and it was wonderful. Everything was e...

asy and we made great memories. I can't believe how talented they are

Lance U

2/19/2024

Raw Deal was the perfect band for our wedding. Many of our guests are in the music industry and they all raved about how incredible Raw Deal was. Also, working with Noah before the...

wedding was seamless- he makes himself available for everything- a total pro. There is no better wedding band for a New Orleans wedding.

Danielle P

2/09/2024

Raw Deal was absolute perfection at our wedding. They're reliable, professional and very talented group of musicians and singers. Our guests raved about the band. They made our wed...

ding night so much fun and unforgettable! Highly recommend Raw Deal.

Maggie B

7/12/2023

Raw Deal is not only an exceptional band full of very talented musicians but they are reliable, communicative, and professional. They made our wedding so special and kept the party...

alive.

Sharon L

3/17/2023

I was looking for a fun, high-energy band that would make my guests feel like they were dancing in a music club on Frenchmen Street. This is exactly what I got from Raw Deal! The l...

evel of talent was off the charts and everyone was on the dance floor. Most of their songs are in the funk/80's/soul genres; think Prince, Stevie Wonder, and Earth Wind and Fire. Someone asked me how I managed to find a "Michael Jackson sing-a-like" for the wedding! I'm so happy we went with this band and would highly recommend them to anyone who loves this kind of music. The cost was $4,550 for three hours of music plus their sound system, plus tip, which is reasonable for an eight-piece band.

Erin C

11/29/2022

What an amazing group! We heard Raw Deal play at a holiday party in 2021 and knew we had to book them for our wedding. They knew exactly what to play at what time to match the mood...

of the afternoon and kept our guests – from my 1-year-old niece to my 85-year-old aunt – living it up on the dance floor. So funky, so fun. We’d book them again in a minute!

Mike T

11/18/2022

Seriously, what are you waiting for? Do you want a wedding band? Or a band of wildly crazy talented local musicians that team up like the Avengers to fill your wedding's dance floo...

r with kinetic energy you didn't know was possible. While choosing your partner is likely the best decision you'll ever make, booking Raw Deal is a surefire close second. Oh, and they are the nicest, easiest people to work with. We can't thank them enough for playing at our wedding.

Marissa M

7/18/2022

I was so nervous choosing a band but Raw Deal made it so easy. They play an absolutely fantastic set that everyone can enjoy. Also, they learned the hora dance for us and absolutel...

y crushed it! Many of our guests have mentioned that as a highlight from our wedding. In addition to the funky music, they're just a really fun, kind bunch of people and very professional to work with. We would recommend them again and again. THANK YOU!

Gilberto F

7/08/2022

From start to finish, people were asking me for the name of this band. Wide variety of love songs and funk to dance to.

Stephen A

7/08/2022

Raw Deal is the absolute real deal. Our guests danced the entire time they played at our wedding and they left everyone at the party smiling with joy. Multiple friends asked for th...

eir setlist in the days after our wedding and we have created a playlist so we can revisit their set. Booking and scheduling was incredibly easy and, thanks to the services they offered, they were able to coordinate the sound. Plus they were willing to learn special songs for our party. They are so collaborative, easygoing, and joyful. We may have to renew our vows in a few years so we have the opportunity to book Raw Deal again.

Alexander D

12/21/2021

This band knows how to bring the fun(k) and get people dancing. Noah and his team are communicative and flexible to make sure your wedding is a dance party to remember. People from...

ages 18-70+ were out there having fun and all told us how much they loved the band.

Taylor H

12/17/2021

Incredible wedding band! Everyone at our wedding was talking about them for weeks after. 10/10.

Cynthia R

11/12/2021

Raw Deal was exactly the type of band we were looking for! We gave them a "no play" list and the set that they played was excellent. The whole band had great energy and the singer...

s were excellent performers. All of our wedding guests had a blast and were very impressed with their performance. If we were getting married again we would hire them again in a heart beat :)

AJ D

10/18/2021

I did not want a band but my bride did and this was the best decision! We both were so so pleased and our guests were also. So much energy! We had many compliments about the band...

. They were just wonderful. Also, I would like to mention that they were easy to deal with and provided great communication.

Mary Catherine F

9/28/2021

Raw Deal Band was amazing to work with! They are so talented and kept the party going all night long! I could not recommend them more! We are forever grateful that they performed a...

t our wedding!

Brittany R

4/21/2020

So incredibly happy my husband and I booked Raw Deal. They are so much more than your average wedding band. Great sound and performance, fantastic musicians, and a huge playlist ...

to choose so their set fits your tastes. As well, they offered to learn 2 new songs chosen by us and absolutely crushed the Radiohead request. Professional in communication and fair pricing. Also flexible when adding other vendors like a DJ.

Andrew S

3/06/2020

Raw Deal absolutely killed it! One of my groomsmen helped to book them and boy, did they deliver! These musicians are some of the baddest in town and their arrangements of the funk...

y hip soul and R&B were exactly what we wanted for our party! A lot of our guests are musicians from New Orleans and around the country and they all had an amazing time on the dance floor. Raw Deal was so easy to work with from when we hired them through the day of the gig. There's a lot of awesome live music options in New Orleans, but Raw Deal is one of the cleanest, most fun, most hard-grooving groups I've seen here!

Alison E

3/06/2020

Raw Deal played at my wedding and they were absolutely phenomenal! They were easy to work with, professional, punctual, and are extremely talented musicians. You are getting seri...

ous quality when you book them, not some mediocre wedding band! They are in New Orleans, after all, a city of amazing musicians. We had friends and family of all ages, people from New Orleans and people from the Northeast and other parts of the country, and everyone raved to us about the band. I definitely recommend them!

Darrell S

3/05/2020

One of the most phenomenal bands I've ever heard! They Kept everyone at our wedding Dancing from start to finish. My wife and I were so pleased! I Highly and Enthusiastically recom...

mend them!!

Andy B

2/03/2020

Raw Deal was the perfect entertainment for my best friend's wedding! He and the bride are both musicians, so they needed world-class performers who would not only entertain the cr...

owd, but play at a level entertaining to the many musicians present. They blew everyone away, and were the talk of the reception. In addition to being excellent musicians, they were a joy to work with in the booking process, communicated clearly about all of their needs and expectations, and were very receptive to the needs and expectations of the bride and groom. I can't recommend this group highly enough!

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(802) 522-7186

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Raw Deal Band

Noah Young

Manager

Typically responds within 24h

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Raw Deal Band

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